Suction cleaner



June 24, 1941. D, G., sMELLlE sucTIoN CLEANER 4. Sheets-Sheerl 2 Filedl June 2'7, 1938 FYR K INVENTOR Donald 6.' Smllie BY M ATTORNEY June 2 4, 1941. D, Q SMI-:LME `2,246,864

SUCTION CLEANER Filed June 27, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTCR Donald G. Smellze BY ,94A/g5.;

Julie 24, 1941. D Q SMELLIE 2,246,864

sUcTroN CLEANER Filed June 27; 19,38 `4 sheets-sheet 4 INVENTOR ATTCRNEY ILV,

Patented June 24, 1941 Donald G. Smellie, Canton, Ohio,

Hoover Company, North Canton,

poration of Ohio assignor to The Ohio, a cor- Application June 27, 1938, Serial No. 216,072

19 Claims.

` 'I'he present invention relates to suction cleaners in general and particularly to a new and novel agitating means in a suction cleaner. Specically the invention -comprises a suction cleaner in which surface agitation is accomplished by reciprocating beating and brushing elements which are actuated by new and novel means.

I t is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved suctionr cleaner. It is another object of the invention to provide a suction cleaner incorporating new and improved surface-agitating means. It is another object of the invention to provide a suction cleaner -having new and improved agitator-actuating means. A still further object of the invention is to provide a suction cleaner in which the rotating force of the driving motor is transformed into reciprocating force at the agitating elements `by a new and improved conversion mechanism. A still further object ofthe invention is to provide, in a suction cleaner, a reciprocating agitator which is driven by a rotating force and which is so mounted as to transmit a minimum of vibration to the remainder of the cleaner. A still further object of the invention is to provide a suction agitation is accomplished bya vertically reciprocating beating element and an arcuate rotary brushing element. These and other more speciflc objects will appear upon reading the following specication and claims and upon considering in connection therewiththe attached drawings to which they relate.

Referring n ow to the drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the present invention are disclosed: l

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cleaner constructed in accordance with the present invention,I a section being shown through the cleaner `nozzle and agitating means upon the line I-'| of Figure2; n

'Figure 2 is a partial bottom view of the cleaner shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section upon the line 3-3 of Figure 2 and shows one of the brush-supporting bearings;` K

.Figure 4 is a section upon the line 4--4 of Figure 2 and shows the brush-actuating linkage;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section through the agitator, being taken upon the line; 5-5 of Figure 2; L

Figure 6 is a transverse Vertical section through the agitatorupon the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure '1 is a section upon 'the line l-l of cleaner in which surface Figure 5 and illustrates the eccentric relationship of the beating element supporting shaft in the driving pulley;

Figure 8 is a section upon the line 8-8 of Figure 5 and also illustrates the connecting means between the reciprocating rigid agitator and the oscillating brushing element;

Figure 9 is a side elevation of a cleaner em- "bodying the second modiiicationv of the invention, a section being shown through the cleaner nozzle upon the line 9-9 of Figure 10;

Figure 10 is a partial bottom view of the cleaner illustrated in Figure 9; 1

Figure 11 is a section through the agitator upon the line I l-l l of Figure 10 Figure l2 is a section through the brush-actuating means upon the line |2I2 of Figure 10; Figure 13 is a longitudinal section through the agitator upon the line |3-I'3 of Figure 10;

Figure 14 is a section upon the line l4-l4 of Figure 13 and illustrates the agitator-mounting means;

Figure 15 is a section upon the line |'5--I5 of Figure 13 and illustrates the eccentric relationship of the center of mass of the rotary weight to its supporting shaft;

Figure 16 is a section upon the line |6-l6 of Figure 10 and shows the jack shaft and wheelsupporting structure.

In the modern suction cleaner the cleaning of surface coverings is accomplished by the combined action of surface agitation, which dislodges 'the foreign material from the surface covering,

and air ow which removes it. Reciprocating agitating means have certain advantages and certain disadvantages as well. Among the important advantages is the fact that an agitating blow may be struck the surface covering at any desired angle or relationship with an entire absence of rubbing contact if desired, Among 'the disadvantages is the fact that the reciprocating forces of the agitating means is usually transmitted directly to the cleaner body resulting in undesirable vibrations and noise. In the in accordance with the present invention the surface agitation lis accomplished by a reciprocating agitator which is actuated by a new and novel mechanism, the agitator being so mounted that there. is a minimum of vibration transmitted to the supporting cleaner structure.

The first embodiment of the invention, illustrated in Figures 1 to 8, inclusive, of the drawings,.1ncludes a main casing havinga nozzle l, a fan chamber 2, connected to the nozzle'l by an air passageway 3, and an exhaustl outlet 4 to which is removably attacheda dust bag 5. Surface-contacting front and rear lips 6 and 1 dene the nozzle mouth. A motor casing 8 is positioned upon the main casing immediately above the fan chamber 2 and houses an unknown driving motor, the shaft 9 of which extends downwardly through the fan chamber 2 and into the airv passageway 3, being formed in the latter as a pulley surface 9 and supporting in the former the suction-creating fan l0. A pivoted handle I provides means. -by which the operator may readily propel the cleaner over a surface covering to be cleaned, the entire cleaner being carried by front and rear supporting wheels I2 and I3, respectively. As in the usual cleaner, nozzle-height-adjusting means, indicated generally by the reference character I4, are provided by which the rear wheels I3 may be raised and lowered relative to the cleaner body for the purpose of pivoting the nozzle about the front wheels I2, I2 and so raising or lowering it relative to the surface covering undergoing cleaning. Also, in the manner common to' suction cleaners, a handle'position control detent I5 of the roller type is provided which is spring-pressed into contact with means carried by the handle to retain the handle in certain positions and within certain ranges of movement.

Positioned within the nozzle I, and adapted to race of a ball bearing 25 which is eccentrically. positioned within a rotatable pulley 26 of relatively great mass. The eccentricity of the bearing 25 and shaft 2| relative to the true center of the pulley is indicated by the distance YE in Figures and 7. The pulley 2B is formed at its vsides with counterbored peripheral rims 21, 21, each of which provides a seat for the outer race of a sealed supporting bearing 28, the inner race of which seats upon a cylindrical metallic sleeve 29 enclosing the supporting shaft 2| in spaced relationship. A radially extending flange 30 upon the surface of each sleeve 29 cooperates with a pulley rim-carried cup 3| to provide a bearingprotecting labyrinth seal exteriorly of the adjacent ball bearing 28 to prevent the entrance into the bearing of foreign material which is always present within the cleaner nozzle.

Each `'pulley-supporting sleeve 29 resiliently supports the inner end of a rigid hollow agitator body element 31| by a flexible resilient connecting sleeve 34 of rubber or similar material, the bodyl 33 being resiliently supported at its outer end by an end-wall-carried resilientl rubber mounting- 35. Clamping metallic band-36 and v31 secure each flexible sleeve 34 upon the ends of the sleeve 29 and body element 33, respectively, while the interior end of each rubber mounting 35 seats directly within the cylindrical open end of the body element 33 and has its outer end seated within a nozzle-wall-carried socket 35. The

4supporting mountings 35, 35 and the connecting "front wall of the nozzle and to eyes formed in the clamping elements 36, 36. 'I'hese springs 'primarily offset the driving tension of the agitatordriving belt I6.

Positioned rearwardly of the rigid beating element 20 and extending parallel thereto is an elongated flexible brushing element 40 formed with a rigid bristle-carrying back along its upper side. At each end of the brush is a supporting pin 43 which seats within a Wall-carried bearing 44 for rocking movement. A link 4| rotatably encloses the agitator shaft 2| and extends through an opening formed in the enclosing body element 33 to seat pivotally upon a pin 45 carried by the back of brush 40. The links pivotal mounting upon the brush is above the pivotal axis of the brush as represented by the supporting pins 43, 43 and movement of the link 4I caused by the movement of the agitator shaft 2| results in the arcuate rotary movement or sweeping action of the brush 40 upon the surface covering which it contacts.

The operation of this first preferred embodiment of the invention is as follows. Upon the machine being placed in operation the unshown motor begins its rotation driving the pulley 9 `formed at the lower end of its shaft and also the suction-creating fan I0. The fan l0 creates a into the nozzle where the surface covering is lifted upwardly into Contact with the lips B and 1. The dirt-laden air. drawn through the nozzle is exhausted from the fan chamber through the outlet 4 into the lter bag 5. The rotation of the pulley 9 causes the' belt I6 to' transmit the rotary force thereof to the agitator pulley 26 Which'is resiliently supported within the cleaner nozzle and which eccentrically supports the beater-element-carrying shaft. 2 I. The' latter causes the beater element 20 to reciprocate in a vertical plane. As the pulley speed increases and as it approaches its normal speed of rotation it rotates about the true center of mass of the entire Obviously, if the pulley rotates about the true center, the center of shaft 2| must move or gyrate about that true center and in a rotary orbit, its circuit being as indicated in Figure 7 by the circular arrows. movement is directly transmitted to the beater elements 20, 20 which are prohibited horizontal translation at their lower ends by the vertical guides 23, 23 and which, accordingly, move vertically. The movement of the shaft 2| in its orbit is also effective to pivot the brush 40 upon its pivotal axis, the shaft and the brush being directly connected by the link 4|, as aforedescribed. In actual operation the agitator body as represented by the rotating pulley 26, the supporting sleeve 29, 29 and the agitator shell'33, 33 remain substantially fixed in position and the springs 39, 39 perform the func- 'manually operable Aheight-adjusting means tion of offsetting the tension of the-driving beit i6. When the agitator is initially being placed into operation the springs also tend to minimize l the vibration of the agitator body.

In operation, therefore, the beater element 20 reciprocates vertically While the agitator body i and pulley 26 remain substantially fixed, the movement of the beating element 20 being accompanied by the arcuate rotary movement of the brush element 40. The agitation imparted to the-surface covering by the agitating elements dislodges therefrom foreign material which is carried by the air stream through the cleaner and to the dust bag.

The entire agitator including the rigid beating elements and Ithe flexible brush elements are removable from the nozzle upon the removal from the end walls thereof of the screws indi-l contacting nozzlelips i and 52. Passageways 53 and 54 extend rearwardly from the nozzle,

4the latter only opening into the nozzle and serving as an air passagewayI connected to the suction-creating means of the cleaner. The former serves as a belt channel within which is positioned )a power-transmitting belt 55 which is connected to a pulley 56 vformed upon theextended end of the motor shaft from the motor housing 51. The cleaner casing indicated generally by the reference character 59, houses the suction-creating means and is formed with a rearwardly extending exhaust outlet 68 to which is removably attached a suitable lter dust bag 6I. A pivoted handle. 62 provides means by which the machine can be propelled over a supporting surface covering upon its supporting Wheels 63 and 64, the latter being provided with 66 by which they may be raised and lowered relative to the cleaner body for the purpose of adjusting the height of the nozzle 58.

.As distinguished from theY first embodiment the present embodiment is formed with a belt channel separate from the air passageway leading from the nozzle to the suction-creating means.` The belt channel or. passageway 53, however, is not open to the nozzle but instead Iis sealed therefrom and the rotative force of the belt 55 is made available to the nozzle by to the central portion `of shaft 11 when rei mounted upon the extended en'd of the agitator shaft 11, the shaft ends being eccentrically positioned relative to -the, main central portion thereof and being rotatably mounted in suitable sealed ball bearings 18, 18 resiliently carried at the nozzle ends. v

vThe bearings 18,18 are resiliently mounted in the nozzle-supported resilient sleevs 88, 80 and, as in the case of the first embodiment, a belt-driving-tension-opposing spring 8l is provided which here contacts the outer race of the bearing 18 carrying the end ofl shaft 11 upon which the pulley 16 is mounted.

The agitator body encloses the major central portion of the shaft 11 and is indicated by the reference character .upon the shaft 11 by means of bearings 85, 85 at its ends. Body 84 .is not lof uniform size throughout its length but is instead provided with enlarged sections within each of which i's positioned a cylindrical weightl or mass 86. Weights 86 are physically concentric with the central portion of shaft 11 but are unbalanced relative thereto by-the presence of longitudinal bores 81. The center of mass of the weights 86, 86 lie upon an axis which is diametrically opposite ferred to theA axis of rotation. Further, the

eccentricity of the axis of the centers of masses A is sufficient that the weights counterbalance the f forces set up by the shaft 11, the housing 84 and the gyrating portions of the beater element in operation so that the parts move in equilibrium abou-t the axis of rotation. The eccentricity of i the rotary axis of shaft 11 relative to its cenmeans of a jack shaft 68 which rotatably supports one of the front wheels 63 and which is itself rotatably supported4 in ball bearings 69, 69 upon opposite sides thereof. A pulley 1l is carried by the jack shaft 58 within the channel 53 and to it connects the power-transmitting belt A55. Upon the Opposite end Of the shaft G8 a second pulley 12 is located within a short rearwardly extended passageway 13 open to the interior of the nozzle 50 and seats a second powertransmitting belt 14. The opposite end of the belt 14 seats upon an agitator pulley 16 positloned adjacent one end Wall of the nozzle 58 and between the lips 5l and 52. The pulley 16 is tralportion is represented by the letter E in Figure 15. The ends ofthe agitator body 84 are enclosed by the flexible extensions of rubber sleeves 80, which provide enclosures to seal the supporting bearings 18, 18 from the dirt laden air in the interior of the nozzle 50.

The rigid beating element 88 is rigidly connected to the agitator body 84 and moves therewith, being provided at its ends with guide pins 89, 89 which slidingly seat within vertical guideways 90, 90 formed on the interior walls of the nozzle. Obviously upon the movement of the agitator body 84 in a circular orbit during the rotation of shaft 11', the body being mounted.

upon the offset central portion of the shaft, the

beater element 88 will move vertically, the guidel pins 89, -89 sliding .within the vertical guideways 90, 90.

Rearwardly of the rigid beating element 88 and extended parallel thereto is a brush element 92 which extends the full length of the agitator and is pivotally mounted at its ends rearwardly of theagitator supporting bearings 18, 18 in sleeve bearings 93, 93. A rocker arm 94 rotatably I seats upon a reduced portion of the agitator body 84 a't one of its ends and pivotally connects to the pivotally mounted brush 92 by rotatably enclosingfa brush-carried pin 85. The relationship is such that/ the gyration of ythe agitator body 84 causes the brush 92 to be pivoted about its supporting axis to sweep the contacted surface covering. All components of movement in a horizontal plane which areimparted to the `arm 84 by the movement of the agitator body 84 results in the pivotal movement of the surfacemovement imparted ,to the arm merely result in its being pivoted upon Vits brush-connected pin 95.

The operation of this second embodiment of 84 being rotatably mountedv the invention is as follows. Upon being placed in operation the cleaner motor drives the suction-creating means to create a reduced pressure within the nozzle 50 which draws cleaning air through the passageway 54 and exhausts it from the cleaner by way of the exhaust .outlet 60 into the filter bag 6I. The rotation of the lmotor shaft isrtransmitted by the intermediate belt 55 to the jack shaft 68 and by the belt '14 to the agitator driving pulley I6. Rotation of the latter causes the agitator shaft 11 to rotate and as the intermediate major portion thereof is oset from the bearing-carried ends thereof the agitator body rotatably mounted thereon by the bearings 85, 85 will gyrate in a circular orbit as indicatedv by the arrows in Figures 12 and 15.

As the rigid beater element 88 is rigidly car-- ried by the body 84, the gyration of the latter results in the vertical movement of the former which thereupon imparts to the surface covering lifted by the nozzle suction against the surface-contacting lips I and 52 a vertical beating action. The spaced weights 86, 86, which have their centers of mass eccentrically positioned rel-.

ative to the central portion of agitator shaft 'Il so -that the axis of gyration of the system is aligned with the supporting offset ends of the sh-aft, rotate as the shaft rotates. These Weights are in fact physically concentric with the central portion of shaft 'l1 but have their centers of mass eccentrically positioned relative thereto through being provided with the bores 81. At high rotational speeds the weights provide a'stabilizing force which minimizes the transmission of the vibration forces from the beater element back *o the supporting structure of the agitator. The gyration of the agitator body l8l! also results in the movement of the rocker arm 94 therewith and the pivot-al 'movement of the brushing element 92, the latter sweeping back and forth across the surface covering cont-acted with each vertical blow delivered by the rigid beater element 88 In both embodiments of the invention the resilient supporting means reduces the transference to the cleaner body of small uncancelled and uncompensated vibrations thereby .resulting in quieter and smoother cleaner operation.

1. In a suction cleaner, av body, a rotatable 4m-ass, means resiliently supporting said mass-for rotation on said body upon an axis eccentric to the center of mass of said rotatable mass, an

agitating element rotatably connected to said rotatable mass eccentrically relative to the axis of rotation of said mass, the eccentricities of said center of m-ass and said element being oppositely displaced sufficiently to counterbalance in the rotation of said mass at operative speed, Iand means to rotate said mass at its operative speed.

2. In a suction cleaner, a body, a mass resiliently mounted on said body for rotation about an axis through itself, a beater element rotatably connected to said mass upon an axis eccentric to said rst axis, the eccentricity of the center of said mass being at all times opposite to the point of connection of said element thereto so that the center of mass of the system comprising said mass and element lies on the axis of rotation of said mass, means to rotate said mass at an operative speed at which the -unbalance of said mass and elements are cancellative, and means to restrict the surface-contacting portion of vsaid element to linear reciprocation upon the gyration of its mass-connected portion. 3. In a suction cleaner, 'a body, a rotatable mass, means resiliently and iloatingly mounting said mass on said body for rotation .about an axis substantially through its center of'mass, a beater element having a surface-contacting portion mounted for linear reciprocation, and means supporting said element directly upon said mass eccentrically relative to said axis and adapted to be gyrated upon the rotation of said mass to reciprocate the surface-contacting portion of said element, the eccentricity and m-ass of said element being such that the unbalance of said rotatable mass is' neutralized at operative speeds.

4. In a suction cleaner, a body, a rotatable pulley of relatively great mass, a driving belt seated o n said pulley, means resiliently supporting said pulley for rotation upon said body, the center of mass of said pulley being eccentric rela- -tive to its axis of rotation, a non-rotatable shaft mounted in said pulley eccentrically of its axis of rotation and adapted to begyrated upon the rotation of said mass, a beating element mounted upon said shaft,and means to restrict the surface-contacting portion of said element to linear reciprocation.

5. In a suction cleaner, a body, a rotatable pulley of relatively great mass, a driving belt seated on said pulley, bearing means and resilient means supporting said pulley for rotation on said body about an laxis eccentric to its center o f mass, a non-rotatable shaft supported in said pulley eccentrically relative to its center of mass and at a point spaced diametrically therefrom with respect to the axis of pulley rotation, and a rigid beater element carried by said shaft.

6. In a suction cleaner, a body, a rotatable pulley of relatively great mass, bearing means and resilient means supporting said pulley for rotation on said body about an axis eccentric to its center of mass, a non-rotatable shaft supported in said pulley eccentrically relative to its center of mass and at a point spaced diametrically therefrom with respect to the axis of pulley rotation, a rigid beater element carried by said shaft, a pivotally mounted brush, and means connecting said brush-to said shaft adapted to oscillate said brush upon said shaft being l'gyrated by the rotation of said pulley.

7. In ,a suction cleaner, a body, an agitator including an eccentric rotary mass resiliently mounted on said body on an axis through the center of mass of the agitator, a shaft supported within said mass eccen'trically relative to the center of mass of the agitator and adapted to be gyrated upon the rotation thereof, a rigid beater element connected to said shaft, and means to restrict the movement of the surfacecontacting portion of said element to linear movemen 8. In a suction cleaner, a body, an agitator including hollow portions resiliently supported on said body, a pulley of relatively great mass rotat-` ably and resiliently supported by said hollow portions, a ldriving belt connected to said pulley, a shaft non-rotatably supported by said pulley yeccentrically relative to its axis of rotation, the center of mass of saidpulley being diametrically displaced upon the opposite side of said axis of rotation 'from the central axis of said shaft suiiiciently to counterbalance said shaft and the parts connected thereto, in the rotation of said pulley at its normal I a beater element connected said shaft.

to and actuated by operating speed, and.

ber on said body for rotation about an axis through the dynamic mass-center of said member and all elements supported thereby, beating-element-supporting means eccentrically connected to and non-rotatably carried by said member eccentrically relative to said axis and adapted to be gyrated upon the rotation of said member, a beater element connected to said means and actuated thereby, the center of mass of said rotatable member being sujciently eccentric relative to its axis of rotation as to set up forces at its normal speed of rotation which counterbalance the forces set up by the gyration of said supporting means and the parts attached thereto.

10. In a. suction cleaner, a body, a rotatable member resiliently mounted on said body, a nonrotatable beater element connected eccentrically to said rotatable member relative to the axis of rotation thereof, means to guide the surface-contasting portion of said beater element toward and from a surface covering undergoing cleaning, said rotatable member including an eccentric mass so related to the axis of rotation and t) said beater element as to counterbalance the' forces set up by the gyratory motion imparted to the latter 4at its connection to said member.

11. In a suction cleaner, a body, a rotatable member resiliently mounted on said body, a

beater element rotatably connected to said rotatable member eccentrically of the axis of rotation thereof, means to guide the surface-contacting portion of said beater element toward and from a surface covering undergoing cleaning, said rotatable member including an eccentric mass so related to the axis of rotation and to said beater element as to counterbalance the forcesv set upl by the gyratory motion imparted to the latter at its connection to said member, a pivoted brush element extended parallel to said beater element,

and means connecting said brush to a gyrated portion o'f said beater element to reciprocate it upon the rotation of said rotatable member.

12. In a suction cleaner, abody, areciprocatory beating element, means to reciprocate said element comprising a driven shaft having an olfset portion to .which said element connects, and a mass carried by said offset portion having its center of mass positioned upon the opposite side of the axis of rotation of said shaft from said offset portion to counterbalance the forces set up by the rotationof said oiset portion and the reciprocation of said beating element.

13. In a suction cleaner, a body, a rotatable pulley of relatively great mass, a driving belt seated on said pulley, means resiliently supporting said pulley for rotation upon said body about an axis eccentric to its center of mass, a non-rotatable shaft mounted in said pulley eccentrically of its axis of rotation and adapted to be gyrated upon the rotation of said mass, said shaft extending upon both sides of said pulley, and beating elements mounted upon said shaft upon both sides of said pulley.

14. In a suction cleaner, a body, a rotatable member, means substantially aligned with the axis of rotation resiliently supporting said member upon the opposite sidesthereof, a non-rotatable beater element carried by said member eccentrically relative to the geometrical center of said member and exerting a gyrating force thereon in the rotation of said member, the center of mass of said rotatable member also being eccentric relative to the geometric center thereof and so arranged that the forces set up thereby in rotation substantially cancel the forces set up at said member by said beater element.

15. In a suction cleaner, a body, a rotatable member, meansaligned with the axis of rotation of said member and including a movable hollow body and a resilient mounting supporting said rotatable member, a shaft eccentrically carried by said rotatable member and extended within said holl-ow,body, and 4a beater element carried by said shaft and extended from said hollow body.

16. In `a, suction cleaner, a body, a shaft formed with aligned oset ends which are rotatably supported in vsaid body, a non-rotatable casing enclosing the central portion of said shaft and adapted to revolve about the shaft axis of rotation upon the rotation of said shaft, a reciprooatory beater element. carried by said casing, and a mass carried by said shaft within saidcasing and having its 'center of mass positioned with an eccentricity relative to the axis of shaft rotation sufficient to counterbalance the gyratory forces of said casing and beater element.

17. The combination defined by the preceding claim in which said shaft ends 'are resiliently lrnoun-ted and said casing ends are sealed to said ody.- 4

18. The construction defined by the second preceding claim in which -a driving pulley is mounted upon one of said offset end-s and provides means for the reception of a rotating torque.

19. The construction defined by the third preceding claim 'in which a pivoted agitating brush is connected to said casing and actuated thereby by a pivoted link carried by said casing.

DONALD G.sMEm..1E. 

